Redundancy rights can include consultation, notice, statutory redundancy pay and consideration for suitable alternative work. For UK employees, knowing which protections apply can make a difficult job loss easier to navigate and help identify when specialist advice may be needed.
Redundancy rights begin with a fair process
Redundancy is a form of dismissal used when an employer needs to reduce its workforce. According to GOV.UK guidance on redundancy rights, employees may be entitled to consultation, notice, redundancy pay, alternative employment and time off to look for work, depending on their circumstances.
Selection should be based on fair criteria. An employer should not select someone for a discriminatory reason, and the consultation should give employees a genuine opportunity to understand the proposal and raise alternatives.
Who may qualify for statutory redundancy pay
Employees with at least two years of continuous service will normally qualify for statutory redundancy pay if the eligibility rules are met. The calculation depends on age, length of service and weekly pay, with service capped at 20 years.
For redundancies on or after 6 April 2026, weekly pay used in the statutory calculation is capped at £751 and the maximum statutory redundancy payment is £22,530. An employment contract or employer policy may provide more than the statutory minimum.
Notice is separate from redundancy pay
Employees are also entitled to a minimum notice period. The statutory minimum is generally one week for service between one month and two years, one week for each completed year between two and twelve years, and twelve weeks for twelve years or more. Contracts can provide longer notice.
Notice pay and redundancy pay are different parts of an exit package, so employees should check the breakdown rather than treating a single figure as covering every entitlement.
Questions to ask during consultation
- Why is the role or group of roles at risk?
- How was the selection pool chosen?
- Which criteria are being used and how were they scored?
- Are there suitable alternative vacancies?
- What notice, holiday pay and redundancy payment will apply?
- What is the timetable for consultation and any appeal?
Keeping written records of meetings and calculations can help if there is later disagreement. Employees who believe the process is unfair can seek guidance from Acas, a trade union or an employment-law adviser.
Preparing for the next career step
Redundancy is a business decision rather than a judgment on an employee’s future value. Once the immediate legal and financial questions are clear, it can help to update a CV, document recent achievements and begin rebuilding a search strategy around transferable skills.
British Careers is also tracking the wider hiring environment, including recent signs of stabilisation in UK permanent hiring, which can provide useful context when planning the next move.
